Belgium’s Wouter Weylandt was killed in a horrific crash while descending the
Passo Bocco 25km from the finish of stage three of the Giro d’Italia in
Rapello on Monday.

Paramedics tried to revive him for 40 minutes on the roadside after he had hit the tarmac at more than 45mph and fractured his skull. He was declared dead and taken to the nearest hospital.

Exactly 12 months ago, Weylandt, 26 and one of those teak tough Belgian professionals much admired in the sport, scored one of his greatest successes in winning stage three of the 2010 Giro D’Italia. He was a professional for seven years and was due to become a father in September.

Passo Bocco is a category three climb, not particularly brutal going up, but its high speed technical descent is much feared and the official Giro literature warned that it could become a “treacherous toboggan run if wet”.

It was bone dry yesterday and many riders commented on how smooth the road surface was but with nearly 200 riders in the peloton, fresh and strong after just two days racing, racing at full pelt it was one of those moments the riders trust in good fortune as well as their skill.

An emotional Mark Cavendish, who has battled with Weylandt in many sprints, tweeted after the race: “Things like this should not happen. Absolutely sick to the stomach. My thoughts are with his family. RIP Wouter Weylandt.”

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Before the stage, Cavendish had tweeted that latter stages could be “carnage” although he was thinking more of the final descent into Rapello from a small category four climb just 10km out.

Alberto Contador, the reigning Tour de France champion, was also quick to pay his respects. “It’s a terrible story and a dark day for the cycling family.” he said. “Regardless of the fact each of us is in our own team, we are all in the same place and this is a very difficult day for the world of cycling.”

Giovani Tredici, one of the Tour doctors, was on the scene quickly. “We arrived immediately as we were behind his group. He was unconscious with a fracture of the skull base and facial damage,” he said.

“After 40 minutes of cardiac massage we had to suspend the resuscitation because there was nothing more we could do.”

The race organisers cancelled the podium ceremony after the stage, which was won by Spanish rider Angel Vicioso with Britain’s David Millar second to give him the overall lead.

On any other day the Scot would have been pleased but afterwards he described it as meaningless, adding: “I can’t even imagine what his family are going through, it’s terrible.

“The bottom line is that the best guys in the world can have a mechanical fault or find themselves in the wrong place at the wrong time.”